Friday, January 8, 2010

Amanda: Day 8. Chiles Gone Wild

In case you don't know, I'm obsessed with Mexican food. I could eat it every meal of the day, every day of the week. Today, my car was in the shop, so I walked down to a local Mexican food restaurant in San Juan, aptly named The San Juan Cafe. On the table was this little bowl of peppers. Now, because of my vast knowledge from traveling, I learned last spring from a gentlemen who specializes in these peppers that these are chile pequins. A native, wild pepper to the State of Texas and a common delicacy in the southern part of the state. The interesting thing about these peppers is their shape. You can tell wild chile pequins from commercially grown ones because of their shape. Wild ones are round, domesticated chiles are more oval and elongated. Don't let their size fool you though, these cute tiny little peppers pack a mean punch. I appreciate San Juan Cafe for bringing this wild food right to my table. :D